My first inkling that I liked The Pajama Men was back when I first got this year’s media book and saw the title of their show Verses vs Verses. Seeing the show they certainly didn’t dissapoint, in fact I would have to say that this has been one of my festival highlights so far.
Shenoah Allen and Mark Chavez make up The Pajama Men with Luminous Craft providing the often integral musical accompaniment. Clad in nothing but their jarmies, The Pajama Men start the show as newscasters from Hot 5 News. This provides a launching place for the rest of the show, which is an intricately woven, hilarious triumph.
Shenoah and Mark form various couplings besides their co-anchor roles; Cornelious and Leviticus; Jennifer and Dad; Audrey and Husband; Audrey and Brian; Jennifer and Dan; Leopold and Leopold’s friend; and each coupling has their own scenario to play out. These stories are delicately interwoven and each character change is denoted by by a change in demeanour, a slight accent, a musical signiature. The quick interchange is demanding on the performers but works seamlessly for the audience due to these clear indicators. The interchange between characters is also accompanied by an interchange between narratives and, again, it is due to the sheer skill of the performers that these changes are so easy to follow.
There is a defly acute awareness behind each moment of this show, allowing each character to shine in his or her own way and to play off situational circumstances until the final crescendo delivers a communial blood bath, portrayed by only two men.
This show is richly layered and beautifully performed. It contains some of the most peculiar, and freely given, audience interaction you’re likely to see. I don’t usually like to blow jokes, but I’ll break the rule just this once: “Short on squirrels? Cut the ears off bunnies.”
Short on laughs, go see The Pajama Men.
For more info and booking details go to The Pajama Men